Steerpike

Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

BBC cameraman in hospital after altercation outside Jeremy Corbyn’s home

It appears that relations between Jeremy Corbyn's team and the press have reached a new low. Channel 4's Michael Crick has claimed that James Webb, BBC cameraman, was admitted to hospital last night following an incident outside Corbyn's home in North London. He says the cameraman has suffered 'neck and face injuries' after a 'Corbyn aide allegedly assaulted him as Corbyn left his home yesterday'. https://twitter.com/MichaelLCrick/status/644069304690974720 https://twitter.com/DMcCaffreySKY/status/643753360785588224 Crick has shared a photo of the cameraman in hospital, which shows the extent of the injuries: https://twitter.

The Corbyn effect? David Cameron pushes his green credentials

Many on the right have raised concerns that a Jeremy Corbyn led opposition could force the government to lurch more to the left in order to pick up votes from disillusioned Labour supporters. But with Corbyn already making waves by hiring a socialist shadow chancellor as well as a vegan shadow Defra secretary, will David Cameron take inspiration from their appointments? Judging by an article written by Cameron that was published today, they could be onto something when it comes to the environment at least. The Prime Minister has listed his favourite children's book in a piece for the activity group Super Camps.

Revealed: how Jeremy Corbyn could avoid kissing the Queen’s hand

With Jeremy Corbyn accepting an invitation to join the Privy Council, the republican will have to kneel before the Queen and kiss her on the hand when he takes the position. Of course this is unlikely to go down well with his far-left supporters, as well as the man himself — who today appeared to refrain from singing God Save the Queen at the Battle for Britain memorial service. So Mr S suspects that Corbyn may wish to take a leaf out of Tony Benn's book on this one. In a Radio 4 series, Benn discussed his political diaries, including samples of the original recordings from which he had first dictated entries onto his dictaphone.

Labour staff flee party headquarters

Ahead of the general election, David Cameron used a fire metaphor to describe what he offered the nation in comparison to the chaos — he claimed — Ed Miliband would unleash on the country: 'I feel like the firefighter, hosing down the burning building, and there's Ed Miliband - the arsonist - saying "why aren't you doing it quicker?"' Well, Miliband may be gone but the threat of fire certainly hasn't. With Corbyn just three days into his leadership, rumours abound that many staff members may face the axe under the new regime. However, it was another disaster which caused Labour bods to flee their office this afternoon. Staff were evacuated from the Labour headquarters in Brewers Green in Westminster over the threat of a fire in a neighbouring building.

Is Damian McBride angling for a job as Jeremy Corbyn’s spin doctor?

Given that Jeremy Corbyn has been on the receiving end of a barrage of bad press this morning, he could do with the help of an expert spinner. Yet everyone who has cared about the Labour Party over the years is appalled at his triumph; no one is willing to defend him. No one, that is, except the currently 'freelance' former king of spin, Damian McBride. The disgraced spin doctor appears to have been on a mission to endear himself to Corbyn ever since he won the leadership election on Saturday. He kicked things off with an editorial in the Mail on Sunday titled 'Jeremy Corbyn may be the best thing since Clement Attlee'. Yes, seriously. Corbyn, he says, 'comes from the right place'.

Labour’s campaign genius (finally) meets Jeremy Corbyn

Ahead of the Labour leadership results, Lucy Powell engaged in some gentle bitching online about Jeremy Corbyn’s lack of social interaction with her. Ed Miliband’s former deputy campaign chief told Miliband’s former political secretary Anna Yearley that she had never, ever met the man of the moment. https://twitter.com/LucyMPowell/status/633748657712398336 This led Ukip's Douglas Carswell to offer to make an introduction. Happily this gesture won't be needed as the times are a'changin. Seemingly willing to overlook this slight, the newly-elected Corbyn has appointed Powell as Labour's shadow education secretary. However, given that blunder-ridden Powell was behind some of Labour's worst election gaffes, she may not be the asset Corbyn requires at this testing time: 1.

Watch: Jeremy Corbyn ignores questions about the lack of women in his shadow cabinet

Jeremy Corbyn is only two days into his leadership of the Labour party, and his fans are beginning to realise what they have done Despite insisting throughout his leadership campaign that he would ensure 'real gender equality', Corbyn hasn't seen fit to appoint a woman in any of the more senior Cabinet roles. As Helen Lewis observed, he has married more women than he has placed shadowing the great offices of state. Vive le Revolution! While it had been expected that he would offer Angela Eagle the role of shadow Chancellor, instead he opted for his old time socialist chum John McDonnell. You may remember him from the furore he caused by saying that the IRA are to thank for the peace in Northern Ireland.

Owen Jones’s election advice falls flat with Alastair Campbell

With Jeremy Corbyn appointed as the new leader of the Labour party, few could be more pleased by the news than the left-wing messiah's personal cheerleader Owen Jones. In fact the Guardian columnist was one of the first to celebrate the Labour MP's victory yesterday, praising Corbyn during a string of media appearances. He then moved on to offer some advice to the New Labour wing of the divided party over what they should do to support Corbyn's election campaign; urging them to 'turn away from the negativity of your media champions' and 'come up with a vision' as 'that's how you win'. Alas these comments did not go down well with Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell — who had urged people to vote for Anyone But Corbyn.

John Prescott caught in live TV gaffe: who is Jamie Reed?

With Jeremy Corbyn announced as the new leader of the Labour party, shadow health minister Jamie Reed immediately resigned from the shadow cabinet. However, it seems the party aren't too down hearted by the news. In fact Labour heavyweight John Prescott doesn't even know who the Labour MP for Copeland is. https://twitter.com/jreedmp/status/642649854624309248 Speaking on BBC News — seemingly unaware he was live — Prescott admitted he did not know who the former shadow health minister was. When asked by Jane Hill, what he made of Jamie Reed already standing down, Prescott replied that he didn't know who he was: 'Who is Jamie Reed? Is he in our party?' Watch @johnprescott: Who’s Jamie Reed? Is he in our party? pic.twitter.

Watch: Tory MP accuses BBC of bias over ‘amateurish’ Newsnight Yemen special

With charter renewal looming, the BBC is under increasing scrutiny from the government to justify its licence fee. So it's fair to say Thursday night's Newsnight Yemen special did little to endear the corporation to some members of the Tory camp. The programme -- led by the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse -- looked into Yemen's 'forgotten war'; highlighting the Saudi-led coalition's bombing campaign over Yemen to drive Houthi rebels from the city. It reported how the airstrikes -- which have hit some civilian targets -- are supported by Britain as the country sells arms to Saudi Arabia. Alas, this focus has not gone down well with Daniel Kawczynski, the Tory MP who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

David Cameron accidentally overheard making Yorkshire ‘hate’ jibe

Given that Vivienne Westwood has today staged a fracking protest outside David Cameron's constituency home, the Prime Minister ought to breathe a sigh of relief that he is safely far away in Leeds. Alas, any joy may be short-lived after he was accidentally recorded making a questionable comment about the people t'up north. While preparing to give a speech on the economy, Cameron was given a microphone which would be turned on in time for his speech. Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, it was actually on while he rehearsed, and the BBC reports that he was heard appearing to make the following jibe about the people of Yorkshire: 'We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn't realise they hated each other so much.

Vivienne Westwood pays an unwelcome visit to David Cameron’s house

While politicians are currently debating the Assisted Dying Bill in Parliament, Dame Vivienne Westwood has decided there is a more pressing matter that ought to be on the news agenda. The eco-minded fashion designer is on her way to David Cameron's house in a massive tank. Alas, it's not a friendly visit. Westwood has hired out the fuel-guzzling machine in order to protest about fracking outside Cameron's Chadlington home, in his constituency village: Dame Vivienne Westwood's anti fracking tank rides to David Cameron's house in #Witney. #HeartNews pic.twitter.com/oRRn50ibBg — Thames Valley News (@HeartThamesNews) September 11, 2015 It's not the first time Westwood has taken part in a bizarre stunt in her quest to stop the government from fracking.

Coffee Shots: George Osborne pays a visit to Boris Johnson’s bunker

An excerpt from Anthony Seldon's David Cameron biography claimed that George Osborne finds his Tory leadership rival Boris Johnson 'plain annoying'. Happily the pair put any differences aside today as the Chancellor of the Exchequer paid a visit to Johnson's constituency. The happy duo visited the Battle of Britain Bunker in Uxbridge to see how a £1m investment will help to restore the historic site. This bunker, if you remember, was the one Osborne joking referred to in the Budget when he said 'I want to thank the member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip for bringing to my attention the dilapidated state of his campaign bunker'. The Mayor invited Osborne to check out the state of that campaign bunker, and the pair had great fun pushing flags across a map together.

Political protest in Chelsea: champagne, drag and Dell’Olio

With Chelsea residents currently in the centre of a planning row over a proposed Crossrail 2 station on the King's Road, concerned locals have started a 'No Crossrail in Chelsea' campaign. Of course given that this is Chelsea, the group's protest methods are a step above the usual tactics employed by disgruntled parties. Last night saw London's glitterati take over the Pheasantry on the King's Road for a night of champagne, drag and cabaret as they protested the council's proposals. Nicky Haslam, the society interior designer, performed some of his favourite songs as he remembered Chelsea's glory days when the King's Road was filled with 'junk shops and junkies'.

Liz Kendall goes ‘Cool Britannia’ with endorsement from Blur musician

Liz Kendall may say she is not the Blairite candidate in the leadership election but her campaign isn't doing much to suggest otherwise. As well as possessing the most New Labour-esque policies, Kendall appears to be bringing back Cool Britannia. Just as Tony Blair was once the darling of the 90s music movement with musicians like Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher supporting him, Kendall has now won an endorsement from another Brit Pop great. Blur's drummer Dave Rowntree was the guest of honour at Kendall's final campaign event this morning, before the election result on Saturday: When Mr S interrupted their Tender embrace to hear why the Girls and Boys had come together at the event, Rowntree came across rather shy and acted as though he was Out of Time.

Is Jeremy Corbyn really more posh than Harriet Harman?

Harriet Harman ended her final appearance at PMQs as the interim Labour leader with a parting shot in the direction of Jeremy Corbyn, who is the odds-on favourite to be the party's next leader. ‘It was quite surprising to discover I’m not possibly old enough or posh enough to be the frontrunner of this leadership election,' Harman told Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics. It's true Corbyn is one year older than Harman, at 66, but is he really more posh than the St Paul's Girls' School alumnus? The die-hard socialist certainly has the most privileged upbringing of any of the Labour leadership candidates. Growing up in a seven-bedroom manor house in Shropshire, he is the only candidate who attended private school, studying at the independent Castle House Preparatory School.

WATCH: Nicola Sturgeon sings God Save the Queen

As the Queen celebrates becoming Britain's longest-serving monarch today, David Cameron led tributes for Her Majesty this morning in the Commons ahead of PMQs. While the Prime Minister praised her 'unerring grace, dignity and decency', Sir Gerald Howarth tried a different tack; showing his appreciation for her with an anecdote about his wife not wishing to attend a local donkey derby: 'When I consult Lady Howarth and ask whether we should go to the donkey derby, and she says, “But we went there last year,” I say, “And Her Majesty does all sorts of things every single year.” Her Majesty has done a fantastic service to this nation.

Bob Geldof reveals George Osborne’s Band Aid PR stunt

Last night's GQ awards were a tame affair. Russell Brand wasn't on hand to make Nazi jokes at the expense of a sponsor and the magazine refrained from awarding a philanthropy award to Tony Blair for a second year in a row. They did, however, award a gong to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for being the 'politician of the year'. Sir Bob Geldof presented George Osborne with the award, but not before he had described Osborne as having the reputation for being the 'most machiavellian politician'. The musician and philanthropist then proceeded to tell an anecdote about Osborne's charitable gesture last year when he returned VAT on sales of the Band Aid 30 Ebola single to the charity. The deal clincher?

Michael Crick outs Conservative press officer at Jeremy Corbyn rally

Although Conservative politicians insist they are not worried by the threat of a Jeremy Corbyn led opposition, an incident that occurred on Tuesday night appears to suggest otherwise. Channel 4's Michael Crick discovered a Conservative press officer sat in the audience at Corbyn's political rally in Nuneaton. When Crick confronted the staffer -- known as Mike Watkinson -- with his camera crew behind him, Watkinson came across all camera shy and immediately fled the scene: https://twitter.com/MichaelLCrick/status/641294675001901057 A chase scene followed as Crick threw questions in Watkinson's direction, asking him why he was attending the event on behalf of the Tories: 'Were you sent here by the Conservative party? Have you come to gather intelligence?